Mr. F. J. Smith's Death is Loss to Trotting

Chronicle (Levin), 20 January 1948, Page 6

Mr. F. J. Smith's Death is Loss to Trotting

AUCKLAND, Jan. 19. The trotting sport in New Zealand sufEered a great loas tliis morning when Mr. I'. J. Smith, one of the foremost trainers and drivers for nearly two decades, collapsed suddenly at.his home and died shortly afterwards. Mr. Smith liad not felt well at the. , Cambridge races last Saturday week but 'appe.afed to be in good health yesterday when he. was in the city. His deatK came,as la shoek to his innumerable friends, Mr. Smith, who was 54 years. of ' age, is survived by his wife. He arrivedin New Zealand from England in 1929 and quickly establislied himself. as an. asset to the sport of trotting which ,was then making great headway. , His technique in producing horses .was -so good that he. won the majority of im" portant races, culminating wi.th liis great triuinph with Josedale Grattan in the 1941 New Zealand Cup in the then world record ti'me of 4.15. kfr.. Smitli selected Josedale Grattan in the United States and imported liim to the Dominion to make history not only as a recoiu-breaker but also as a- successful sire vvhose possibilities in breeding have already been proved. Mr, Smith also Jiad the distinction of winning practically every race in one day on the' Auckland Trotitng Club programme at Alexandra Park, wliOe lie-. also frequentlj' scooped pools at other meetings. He was a decided personality in the sport of light hamess, and. his death on the eve of the inter-Dominion championships will be great-ly regretted. During his career in New Zealand he trained over 50Q winners.